I've been a long time reader here on DPO, but never really made an account till now. I enjoy reading all your comments about your knowledge and passionate for the park. We all have witnessed the park being treated poorly by corporate for some time now, with the relocated additions of Possessed, DD, and Stinger (although I feel like Possessed was the best addition of all three set in a perfect location). Hopefully Matt Ouimet sees value to put some capital into the park in the near future.

Since we haven't seen a major addition recently, I thought it would be cool to predict what additions could be made to the park in the next four years. Whether its something you heard or just plain speculation on your part, I'd like to hear what you guys think about the future oncoming years at Dorney. Here's my 4 year prediction:2014-Major WWK renovations. I can see an updated larger version of Island Water Works taking the place of Speed Slides, as well as a new slide complex (maybe like an Aqua Launch that WOF got this year). I can see a lot of simple changes also like fresh paint with brighter colors on the buildings, new signage, etc.

2015- Windseeker, it seemed we dodged trouble when all the Windseekers need an evac system, but now that I think they got it all figured out, Dorney will finally fill the large circular circle behind Stinger (I know for sure that the large circle was put purposely there to persuade the Cedar Fair uppers to give Dorney the ride). WOF was heavily rumored to get one too but didn't do to the chain wide problems. The real question is if it will be at South Whitehall max code height or something can change to get it to 300 feet. Would the new skyscraper being built in downtown Allentown have any effect on the ride? Would a new firetruck that is capable of reaching over 300+ feet allow a 300 foot ride to pass?

2016- I can see some minor additions like new flat rides. Maybe some bumper cars (most asked about ride by guests in the park) as well as maybe a disk-o or flying scooters. Maybe a new restaurant or eatery placed somewhere in the lower midway to keep more guests in the lower section of the park. I've always thought the Possessed Games/Gift Shop building was an eye sore, maybe make a new building that includes games and a restaurant with an outside patio connected?

2017- The wait hopefully will be over. I can see the nice sized GCI wooden coaster we have all been waiting for taking over Dinosaurs Alive in the woods area (I believe Dinos has a 4 year contract with the park, so that would expire after the 2015 season). Something similar to Prowler at WOF would really put Dorney back on the map. Along with coaster would be an overall expansion that would include a new indoor sitdown restaurant, more games, and eventually some new flats in the near future after that.

So there's my prediction. I'm interested to see what you guys think the future holds for Dorney.

Doubtful, too ambitious. I also, sadly, do not see Dinosaurs Alive going anywhere. It brings in school groups and gives the park an edge over the others because it adds an "educational element" to the park. Many schools go "what is the educational purpose to visiting Dorney" and Dinos give them and parents the answer.

Judging by the response of Dorney to the South Whitehall decision "keeping the Dorney experience in line with other Cedar Fair properties" gives me the impression they might even be looking to unload the park. With all of the huge parks in the chain now, Dorney is the new Michigan's Adventure and you have got to wonder if it will be unloaded based upon that statement.

I, too, don't see Dinosaurs Alive going anywhere. As of now, it attracts alot of people. School groups use it as an educational experience, and families love it too, especially little children, they love the Dinos.

I totally agree with you guys in that Dinos offers the educational value schools and families are looking for, but how long can Dinos stay around before it comes stale? There is a chance that people who visit Dorney on a yearly basis won't pay $5 to see the same attraction over again.

My dream four years plan, but only if Cedar Fair wants to put a lot of money in the park.

2014: Update Wildwater Kingdom. Replace some of the older and less popular attractions, add modern waterslides, expand the changing areas and restrooms to handle a bigger crowd. Start expanding Wildwater Kingdom into the parking lot.

2015: Close the main parking lot and begin transforming that into park space. Build a 5 deck parking garage. Move some of the storage facilities offsite and use that space for more catered picnic areas or space for rides. Create a Kings Dominion type midway with shops, restaurants, and a fountain in the middle. No Eiffel Tower though. Add an outdoor theater similar to Cedar Point to host the all wheel sports show.

2016: Major roller coaster gets added.

2017 and beyond: Continue filling in the main parking lot with more rides. Build an official Dorney Park resort hotel and cabins along the pond. Major roller coasters every few years.

All these changes could make Dorney Park number 2 or 3 in the chain and maybe number one in the northeast. Keep on dreaming though.

Rather than giving an order of what I think the park should do for the next few years, I will give ideas over the next few days of what I think the park should do which could mostly be done in about any order.One thing the many things the park needs is a new family coaster(just look at the lines at wild mouse), namely a Jr. Boomerang located next to to the tilt-a-whirl in where joker used to be located. The face painting stand as well as a couple of trees will need to be removed/relocated. The lift hills will have to reach over a midway and over the rocket express, but this should be able to be decorated/themed in very nicely. Also to fit, the queue line would need to be contained within the confines of the ride (which has been done with an existing installation (Big Ben at Drayton Manor)). This would allow for great theming opportunities (For instance the ride could be themed to Charlie Brown attempting to kick a football. Here is essentially how it would look.

A smaller addition Dorney park could do is water is build a water coaster behind Thunder Canyon. This type of attraction could be built over the drainage area allowing the drainage area to exist relatively undisturbed. Also such an attraction could be easily designed to meet strict height limits along this edge of the park. Another advantage is the enclosed nature of this type of ride would reduce noise pollution to the neighbors.

Thanks for the additional thoughts JSC, as well as the illustration. You seem like a person who has a passion and appreciation for the park. It's getting harder to find those kinds of people these days, mainly because the park has been marking time for the better part of a decade.

It's precisely that reason why the kind of rides that you are suggesting, while well thought and perfectly possible and logistically reasonable, aren't what the park really needs right now.

I realize that the thread title is a 4 year prediction, so under current conditions, and basing the prediction on what the park's M.O. has been as of late, something of this like may end up being what ultimately happens.

I'm hoping for a slightly bigger splash, and I think that's what many here are holding out for as well. The plain truth is that this park has been passed by other local parks because it's been resting on the laurels of an 8-year span which saw unprecedented investment in world class rides. Since then, park development and improvement has been fractional at best. Certainly some of this is due to the economic downturn which impacted the industry as a whole. I think that the governing concern about sinking more into the park is centered around the fact that CF doesn't see DP as being able to grow much. So while we all want the big bad wildcat woody, I'm not sure that those in position of power see a return which would justify the investment.

So I guess my bottom line is that the next four years will be much like the past four. It was fun while it lasted.

If we are going to resign ourselves to not expecting CF from giving DP many big items, my overactive mind only goes into overdrive on small creative improvements the park could do.

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The red line is how I would reroute the entrance. The blue line is where I would extend the swimwear zone to making access between WWL and WWK easier. It would also be nice for a small changing area somewhere in this area (yellow) for before/after water park hours.As much as I do not like fastlane, one could be routed parallel to the entrance I propose. The special access could be put where the current fastlane is.